


For You

by SomedayonBroadway



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Air Force!Jack, Crutchie is a great brother, F/M, Fraternal Twins Crutchie and Race, Modern AU, dancer!race, others are mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 18:17:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18609901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomedayonBroadway/pseuds/SomedayonBroadway
Summary: It's closing night and Race is missing someone a bit more than usual.





	For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lizjanie](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=lizjanie).



> Guys... I am on a roll. I love writing requests.
> 
> This was a request from lizjanie. She requested a fic where Race was a dancer, which is a headcanon that I love! So I decided to make it a cute little oneshot. Well... it's pretty angsty, actually. But still.
> 
> Anyways!
> 
> Enjoy!

"Ten minutes to places!"

"Thank you, ten!"

Tyler didn't look up when the stage manager called that to them. He was too busy staring down at the paper in his hands, clutching the thing like a lifeline. It was closing night. He wasn't ready.

"You okay, Racer?" Race jumped at the voice, immediately wiping at his face. He knew he shouldn't have been crying. After all, he knew this was coming. He knew this would be the first show he had that his big brother couldn't be there for. He couldn't help it. Medda was great and all, but he'd give anything to just go home to Jack.

It had been eight months now. This letter was from three weeks ago. Far too long ago if you asked the boy who was trying so desperately to tell himself what he already knew. Jack wasn't coming. With his brother in the Air Force, he'd known it was bound to happen sooner or later. And he felt stupid for crying about it. Jack was protecting their country. He was putting on a production that had been done a thousand times before. He knew he shouldn't be upset.

He just couldn't stop it.

"I'm fine, JoJo," he lied straight through his teeth, trying to focus on the fact that his twin brother was sitting in the audience for the fourth time instead of thinking about how Jack wasn't.

He shoved the letter back into his bag. His corner of the dressing room was never really bothered mostly. Everyone else was so busy getting ready and bragging about how many people were coming to see them, they never paid mind to him when he slipped off to reassure himself that his brother was doing okay. At least, as of three weeks ago. It was something, at least.

But when Race stood up, he knew he was caught. JoJo looked at him with a sad expression. "Missin' Jack again?"

It hurt. Race couldn't truly hold it in. The tears started falling from his eyes before he could stop them. But the second his friend tried to move to hug him, the blond boy shook his head. He stepped away, before rushing around the stage manager towards the mirror, wiping at his face desperately, as gently as he could, trying not to make his makeup run even further.

People noticed after that. There was no more hiding it anymore. Suddenly, he was surrounded and there was nothing he could do about it. Hands touched his shoulder and people tried to reach to help him but he shoved them all off. "Please just don't," he asked quietly, shrugging out of their reach as soon as he got himself back under control. "I'm fine. I'll be fine..." he promised.

He loved them all, honestly to God. But he couldn't handle people touching him right now. If someone tried to hug him he'd burst, sobs would break from his chest. He'd be a complete and utter disaster.

The room had gone quiet. That's what Race didn't want. He didn't want attention on him. Not right now. He had the main part in the show. He had no room to be upset right now. This was a ballet that he'd worked so hard on, one that was getting him so much attention from colleges. He shouldn't be taking over the spotlight backstage too. But there they were. Everyone was staring at him now, afraid to move. So he turned around, plastered on a smile, holding back the tears that wanted so badly to escape. "I'm fine, really..." he promised. "Thank you, ten..." he added, his voice watery and uneven.

With that, he pushed out of the room, headed towards the Green Room, grabbing his phone from his bag on the way out. He needed something else. Another voice in his head other than his own. He needed to see who was here and be grateful for that. Some of these performers that he'd worked with had nobody. He had so much more than so many people.

The first text he saw was from Charlie. "Break a leg, loser!" it said. It made him smile a little bit. Him and his twin brother weren't super similar, but Crutchie had never missed one of his performances. Ever. And Race had never missed one of Crutchie's debates. The other boy had lots of practice after all their arguments, and damn it he was good at the things. His brother was the smartest person Race knew. And he was so grateful he could call him his best friend too.

The next text he saw was from Katherine. His big brother's girlfriend of five years now. "I can't wait, my little prince! You're gonna do great!" She hadn't stopped calling him that since he'd found out he'd gotten the part of Cinderella's Prince in a ballet two years ago. Katherine had been in their lives since Jack and her had been put together for a group project when they were both in high school. Those two had not gotten along in the beginning to say the least.

But Jack already had the ring. He'd had it for almost a year now. Race was so happy that he had a girl like that for a sort of sister.

He knew Medda wasn't at the show. She'd seen it opening night. She was at work now. When Jack was away, she watched out for him and Charlie, with the help of Katherine, of course. But she had to work tonight. She sent him a text anyways. "Love you, baby!" she said.

The other notifications were for social media. Instagram to be more specific. Crutchie mentioning him in a story, a picture of the program and the closed curtain. A heartfelt "My brother is amazing," something that they'd rarely say face-to-face. Katherine did the same, only hers was a picture of her holding the program and her mouth open in excitement, Darcy, one of her best friends, and his husband, Bill, on either side of her. No doubt she'd gotten Charlie to take the picture for her, at least that's what Race assumed the tag was at the bottom of the picture. Honestly, she was adorable and there was no denying that. And his heart warmed a little when he realized she'd brought them with her.

David Jacobs, Jack's best friend and mother to the motherless, had posted a picture of him and Crutchie sitting in the house. The man was grinning and Crutchie's eyes were squeezed closed as he did the same.

Race took a deep breath. He could do this. He knew that the one person he wanted more than anyone else was not sitting in the audience. And it hurt. But he could do this.

The show must go on.

Trying to compose himself, prepare himself for the last time he'd perform this show, the last time he'd perform with this team. But couldn't help himself. He locked his phone and then took a peak at his lock screen.

There was Jack. He was pressing a kiss to the back of Race's head and holding Charlie close with an arm around his neck. It was a picture taken by Bill. He was a photographer. He'd asked their whole makeshift family to participate in a little photo shoot for a class he was taking a few months ago. They were some of Race's favorite pictures.

They were smiling. They were happy. Everything was okay.

Race missed Jack. So when he went out on that stage, he wasn't performing for himself. He wasn't performing for the colleges he nah or may not get into. He was performing for his big brother, the angel who had taken him in, adopting him and Charlie when he was seventeen and sacrificing everything for them.

"Places, Racer..." JoJo stated with a small smile as he passed Race in the green room. Race nodded, standing from his seat and slipping his phone back into his bag as he passed through the dressing room to get back to the stage.

He could do this.

So he walked out on that stage, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He waited for the announcement to come on, politely asking folks to turn off their cell phones. And then those curtains began to open and hot spotlight hit Race and he let out a breath, completely centered in the moment all of the sudden.

Then the music began to play.

The thing went by in a whirl. Every movement was apart of Race at this point. The music flowed through him, calming him as the show moved forward. He was taken into the moment, forgetting about the outside world that had hurt him so many times. He was whisked away by a fantasy world, if only for a couple of hours.

And when it was over, Race was on a high. He rushed out, hearing the audience clap for him as he took his final bow with his cast. And then, he rushed off stage to change, excited for the hugs he'd be getting when he walked out the stage door.

He hugged his cast members goodbye, promising to be at the cast party the next day before grabbing his bag and rushing to the door. He didn't check his phone before he walked out to the crowd waiting beyond the beautiful stage door.

The first person that was standing there was his twin brother, a bouquet of flowers in hand. Race grinned, spotting the tears in his eyes as he walked towards him, nodding at some strangers who told him he did good. But he rushed forward, embracing the boy with a metal crutch under his arm. "Why're ya cryin', Crutchie?" he laughed out, only for the boy to pull away and hand him the flowers.

The kid just wiped at his face, laughing right along with him. "You're just so damn good!" he forced out with a laugh.

Rolling his eyes, Race punched his brother's arm half heartedly. It was half a joke and half the truth. Crutchie really did love seeing Race perform. "Shut up, Charlie..." he laughed, just before he was swallowed up in another embrace.

"Tyler, you're amazing!"

Race grinned again, turning into the embrace. "Thanks, Mom..." he teased. David was one of the only people who actually still used his given name consistently. Jack would occasionally, when he was trying to be serious. Crutchie too. But rarely anyone else did unless they were meeting Race for the first time.

A laugh escaped David who pressed a light kiss to his head. "Anytime, pal..."

David passed him off to Katherine who also had tears in her eyes. Race didn't even get to say anything before she was gripping him so tightly he thought he might suffocate. "That was beautiful, TJ! How dare you make me cry?!"

He shook his head, giving a kiss to the side of Katherine's head. "I hope you got some good statements for your review, Miss Journalist," he teased, knowing she was supposed to write something to promote their next performance. One that Race hoped he could be apart of.

"Well, I don't know... but Bill did sneak some pretty good pictures," she stated, just as the other two men walked up, Bill reaching to give Race a side hug as Katherine back away and Darcy waited to do the same.

"She's right. He was making the ushers crazy," Darcy laughed, leaning over to kiss his husband on the cheek when the other man rolled his eyes. "Seriously though, you were absolutely amazing, Race..."

"Thank you," Race forced out, trying not to let the whole in his heart force the tears out. He could smile through it. As long as he kept smiling he'd be okay.

But Crutchie's arms were back around him before he could process the fact that they were onto him. Race held his twin back tightly, grasping onto his hair a little bit. "It's okay, Race..." he murmured.

"I know..." Race half stated and half sobbed. He truly was extremely grateful for these people. He smiled when he looked around at all of them. "Thank you all so much..." he whimpered out again. Katherine walked up to run a hand through his hair, giving him a smile.

"Hey, I still need some pictures of this," Bill cut in, holding up his ever present camera. "You and Charlie and Katherine first." He pointed to the big Theatre sign behind them and Race nodded, wrapped an arm around them as he moved to go stand beneath it, before he knew it, he was back to messing around, taking pictures with everyone that came, even having Katherine take a picture of him with Darcy and Bill by the end. He was back to laughing quick right along with them as they took wacky pictures together.

It wasn't till about a half an hour later that Bill took his camera back and looked at Race, motioning for him to move a little closer to him, away from the sign. Race gave him a look, confused for a moment, but Bill just winked. "We need one of the star himself in front of his stage." So Race went along, smiling as Bill captured a perfect picture of him.

Race did not notice when Darcy pulled out his phone and began to record him. He did try to move, but Bill shook his head. "Whoa there, kid! I'm not done yet!" he called. Race just rolled his eyes playfully, feeling more eyes on him all of the sudden. But he smiled for the camera anyways, paying no mind to it. He'd figure it out in a minute, when Bill was done.

Or when those arms came over him from behind.

At first, he just assumed it was one of the other dancers. Maybe Spotty, that techie that had been flirting with him since they'd met. Maybe JoJo, one of his best friends since the first grade. Specs or Albert. Any of them. "Who is this?" he laughed out.

But he reached up, feeling a thick fabric beneath his hand. "Oh nobody..." the mysterious person said. His heart sped up as he shoved his way out of those arms, his hands flying up to his mouth when he whipped around to see who was standing there.

Standing there, a big stupid grin on his stupid face, still dressed in his stupid uniform, was the man that had Race crying only a few hours ago. He let out a small cry when the man took a step closer. Race heard his family and friends laughing at him. He heard people starting to clap. He couldn't move. "What're ya just standin' there for, Tyler James?! Get'cha ass ova' here!"

Before Race could even move, Jack rushed up to him, wishing the boy up in his arms so his feet couldn't reach the ground anymore. The young dancer let out a heart wrenching sob at the relief that rushed through his body. He wrapped his legs around the young man's hips and held onto his big brother tighter than he'd ever held onto anything in his entire life.

"What the hell?!" he cried out. "What the hell?!" Jack didn't speak. He just laughed, pressing kiss after kiss to Race's head. Race held on so tightly, afraid that if he let go, he'd wake up.

Crutchie just walked around so that Race could see him over Jack's shoulder. "Don't go feelin' too special, Racer... he surprised all of us. Right before we came inside. We walked up to get our tickets and he was standin' there sayin' 'what took you guys so long?' Like the idiot he is!" he laughed, mocking Jack.

Jack rolled his eyes, swatting at his younger brother for a minutes before holding back on his other one, bringing one hand up to coax the child into looking at him. Eventually, he did. And Jack couldn't help the tears that filled up in his eyes. He gently set the boy back on the ground so that he could use both of his hands to clear the tears away. "I am so proud of you, baby. Do you know that?"

At those words, Race just dove in for another hug, grabbing Crutchie's wrist behind Jack's back and pulling his twin brother in as well. He couldn't breathe. All he could do was sob onto Jack chest as people cheered and congratulated them all the while Bill still snapped pictures and Darcy recorded the whole thing. Katherine stood by with David watching the scene with tears in their eyes.

"You're a jerk, Jackie! You know that?!" Race cried out, pulling away so that he could look at Jack again. Beyond grateful that his brother was there. So beyond excited that he couldn't contain his grin, though the tears kept falling.

"Aww here I thought I was bein' all nice an' stuff, comin' back just in time ta see you make everyone cry," Jack laughed, ruffling the kid's hair, moving to press another kiss to his head before doing the same to Crutchie. "This was payback for everyone else," he decided.

"Why'd ya come back?" Race asked, not understanding how or why this happened, but extremely grateful that it had.

All the man did was shrug, wrapping his arm around Crutchie and walking towards the group. "For you, kiddo..." he stated, like it should've been obvious. "And you," he continued, ruffling Crutchie's hair. "And you," he said, leaning to give Katherine a peck on the lips. "I missed you guys..."

And before he knew it, a pack of people were sealing him into a hug that they all wished could've lasted forever. "I love you, Jackie..." Race murmured into his chest, where he was content to stay for the rest of his life.

Jack laughed and held them all a little tighter. "I love you too, baby... I love all you guys... so much..."

For the first time in eight months, everything was okay. Race felt like he was home. And that was all that mattered.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I know! This is the second time I've written something like this, but I could honestly be happy writing this a million different ways ;)
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this fic! I hope to post another one soon! Another short little request. I have... so many. But I love them all and I want to write them all so badly!
> 
> As always, thanks for reading! Make sure to tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd change or what you'd improve by leaving me a review! Love ya fansies!


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